INTRODUCTION
Pronouns
are generic, not specific, words—they can mean anything or anyone. A reader will be very confused by a pronoun used without an antecedent to identify it. The pronoun's antecedent is the person or thing the pronoun is referring to or which the pronoun has replaced. Here is an example:
John goes to TCC. He is a freshman.
He is the pronoun. John is the antecedent that tells who he is.
A noun like "John" is very specific; a pronoun like "he" might be John, but it could also be any other man. The following sentences show that using pronouns without antecedents or with unclear antecedents confuses readers.
- He recently joined our bowling team.
- They said snow is forecast for tomorrow.
- John drove Mike to his house.
- Joy said Susan got married which was not true.
- The children's papers show how hard they worked.
THE RULE
Every pronoun must have an antecedent. The antecedent must be one, clear noun—a person, place, or thing. The antecedent cannot be an action, a suggestion or assumption, or a possessive form. The antecedent and the pronoun must be in the same person.(Note: An indefinite pronoun such as "one" or "somebody" can be an antecedent when a person's name or identity is unknown.)
PRACTICE
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